


Habits of My Heart

by BWaves



Category: Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator
Genre: Craig is best Bro, M/M, Porn With Plot, Slow Burn, There will be porn later, Trans Dadsona (Dream Daddy), Trans Male Character, bros being bros, lots of tags to be added as i go but for now
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-05
Updated: 2017-12-17
Packaged: 2018-12-24 02:23:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12002964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BWaves/pseuds/BWaves
Summary: It’s been three months since Amanda left for college, and six months since Robert declared that he needed time before he was ready to get into a relationship. Which is tiring, because Mason still sees him all the time- why wouldn’t he, they’re neighbors- and Mason keeps it PG, keeps it friendly, but it doesn’t stop him from secretly fantasizing about unzipping those awful, tattered jeans with his teeth.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Habit of My Heart is a song by Jaymes Young, I highly recommend it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BEEN A WHILE HASNT IT

It’s been three months since Amanda left for college, and six months since Robert declared that he needed time before he was ready to get into a relationship. Which is tiring, because Mason still sees him all the time- why wouldn’t he, they’re neighbors- and Mason keeps it PG, keeps it friendly, but it doesn’t stop him from secretly fantasizing about unzipping those awful, tattered jeans with his teeth.

But that’s a little much. Robert’s actually been really chill about the whole thing. He doesn’t call him out when he catches Mason staring for a little too long. He doesn’t give him too much hell when he slips and says something that’s a little more than friendly.

Mason does his best, though, and he doesn’t push. He’s there for Robert whenever the other dad needs any kind of moral support in regards to his daughter issues. They’re actually making really good progress, though, Val comes around a lot and she’ll stay for a few hours and she always leaves with a hug and a happy wave. Mason has the privilege of being regaled by all the stories about what shenanigans Val and Robert got up to, which usually includes something about a cryptid, and something that has Robert telling you ‘I’m kidding, or am I?’ because that’s his schtick and for some reason Mason still catches himself giggling every time.

And unsure about which is the true answer, every time.

Which is only slightly unsettling. And also endearing.

Mason’s hopelessly in love, and losing hope quick. Because Robert seems to be humoring him, but he doesn’t seem like he’s actually trying to push their relationship at all. Not that Mason wants to push it! But… It’s disheartening.

How long is it the appropriate amount of time to wait before trying to move on? Because Mason’s almost positive that he’s getting eyes from someone else in the neighborhood and he’s starting to get lonely.

He isn’t sure if that would be okay, though, because he just… Doesn’t know. He’s never had that problem before? He’s never had one guy who was interested in him who passed it up because of personal stuff and then never like… Followed up.

Point is Mason doesn’t know the protocol, he doesn’t know what to do when he’s head over heels for this guy who seems to have lost interest, but he’s getting side eyed by the hot, married dude next door when he waters the plants in the front yard. How does he handle this?

Especially the married man part!

“I just- okay, what would you do?”

“I’m not sure I’m the right person to ask, bro.” Craig shrugs, leaning forward on the handlebars of the elliptical and watching Mason pedal sluggishly, “I didn’t even know you weren’t involved, I thought you were just keeping it on the downlow.”

Mason scoffs loudly, waving his hands in front of him and side eyeing Craig, “Oh, please, you know that if there were anything happening you’d know. We haven’t had a secret between us ever. Like when Alex told you he was gonna pop the question and made you promise not to tell but your big mouth told anyways.”

Craig mimics the scoff, and he sits up again, “Okay, in my defense, I was excited, you can’t hold that one against me, bro.”

“I can, and I will, dude.” Mason crosses his arms, and stops his legs, his thighs are starting to hurt. “Point is, I’m not sure if Robert is even interested anymore, and if he isn’t I can’t think of what I did to change his mind, I thought…” He trails off, his shoulders slump a little, “I dunno, I guess I just didn’t expect it to take this long. He hasn’t even asked me to just… Hang out, y’know? Like we talk at the barbeques, and when we run into each other, but never one on one, we never plan, and I don’t know if I can initiate?”

He flinches a bit when Craig swats his back, and makes a comment about sitting up straight, and he rolls his eyes, but he complies. “I think that you’re overthinking it. It hasn’t been that long, a guy can’t get his life in order in six months.”

“Even if that guy is Robert?”

“Especially if that guy is Robert, bro. Just give him some time, don’t do anything stupid. Especially anything as stupid as Joseph.”

“Are you saying Joseph is stupid, or that doing something with Joseph would be stupid?”

Craig shrugs, but doesn’t answer, he finally gets off the machine and gestures for Mason to follow, “Come on, I’m ready for some brunch.” On cue Mason’s stomach growls and he heaves a sigh, slips off the elliptical and gestures for Craig to lead the way. The two make their way to the diner as usual, and order their usual breakfast, the waitress makes passes at Craig as usual. Craig’s gotten a little better with it, he’s better at brushing it off since he and Hugo started their own quiet fling, it’s easier to brush someone off if you’ve got someone else in mind.

Mason’s still not so sure about that one, but apparently it’s working out, Mason has been blessed with many secrets that he’s sworn by the bro-code not to repeat. Like that Hugo likes wrestling unironically and apparently gets the vapors when Craig flexes for him, or some shit.

He’s just glad that they’re happy.

He’s also incredibly jealous, but no one has to know that.

“I’m just… I’m lonely? Amanda’s not around, and she’s so busy with school we hardly have time to talk. I’m starved for affection here.” He watches out the window as people mill about on the sidewalks, going in and out of the stores. “I just need a good, meaningless one night stand.”

“What about Damien?” Craig suggests, “The two of you are pretty close, do you think he’d be down to just lend a bro a hand?”

Mason shrugs a bit, small at first and then bigger, “I dunno, I mean… I like Damien and we’re good friends but I feel like if we did anything it would get weird, you know?”

“That’s fair. What about Brian.”

“If you knew me as well as you claim to you wouldn’t even suggest that.”

“Why not?”

“I said I want a one night stand, not a night of constantly trying to one-up each other in sex.”

“I thought you guys worked that out?” Craig asks, one eyebrow quirked up high on his forehead.

“We did, kind of. But still. Pass.”

“Okay, are we gonna just go through the whole list of people we know, so you can turn down every single one of them and throw out what you think is a totally logical reason?”

“Yes. Keep going.”

“Mat?”

“I... “ Mason stops, hums and furrows his eyebrows. “I actually can’t think of a good reason to turn him down.” Craig snorts at that, and the conversation is put on pause while their server drops off their food. She stands there for a second too long, eyeing Craig, but he ignores with ease until she leaves.

“Okay, bro, here’s what I think.” Craig starts, leaning forward on his elbows, and holding out his hands in a vague gesture toward Mason.

“What do you think, Craig?”

“I think that you don’t actually want a one night stand, even though you keep saying that. Let’s face it, bro, we’re adults now-”

“We were adults in college too.”

“-I know, but let me finish. We’re adults now, we’re too old to be having one night stands. One night stands are for college kids, and we’re like, actual adults. Like, we have kids and jobs and responsibilities, you know what I mean, bro?”

“I guess.” Mason grumbles around a mouthful of eggs, eyes narrowed as he watches Craig, “What’s your point?”

“Talk to Robert.”

“Sage advice, bro, I totally didn’t think about that before, that is such a crazy concept.” Mason puts on a very sarcastic tone, and he smacks his hands on the table, standing, “I’m gonna go do it right now!” he declares, and his eyes narrow as Craig laughs at him. Mason sits back down, shoulders slumped.

“I’m serious, Mason. I mean, look at me and Hugo, okay-”

“God please don’t rub you and Hugo in my face, I get it, you’re both very happy.”

“Not the point, bro, look, we knew something was up, and neither of us were gonna say anything, it was all awkward glances at cookouts and him conveniently happening by the gym right as I’m leaving it.” Craig shrugs, and Mason mirrors it, “Bro, we finally just talked and it worked out. Just talk to him. It’s not that hard. You guys pretended to be professional ghost hunters or whatever, I’m pretty sure you can hold a normal conversation with him about your feelings.”

“I don’t have feelings. I am a robot. I am Dadtron 3000, beep boop.” Mason slumps in his seat. “What if he is over me, though?” Oh, god, that’s a depressing thought. What if Robert is over him? “Oh,” he says softly, and Craig frowns at him, “I made myself sad.”

Craig reaches up after a moment, “Oh, dude, no, don’t cry,” he says quickly and he reaches across, taking Mason’s wrist and holding it, “Dude he is not over you. He just has a lot of shit going on and he’s still not ready. Give him some time, alright?”

Mason makes a little annoyed noise but he nods, and he shoves a huge bite of pancake in his mouth to just shut himself up for a few minutes. Craig gives his wrist a comforting squeeze before letting go and sitting back in his seat. “Eat your breakfast, don’t inhale it,” he instructs gently, and Mason nods, keeps on eating.

With bellies full, Mason and Craig head back to the cul-de-sac, Craig a step ahead of Mason, who watches Robert’s house as they walk. He follows mindlessly, and stops when Craig does, attention still wrapped up in the house across the street.

Would it be weird to just go straight over there and knock on the door? Val’s car isn’t there so Mason’s not worried about him being busy.

“Mason?”

It’d probably be weird, right?

“Mason.”

Maybe he should go buy a bottle of whiskey and just show up like hey I brought booze let’s get drunk and fuck like bunnies, please.

“Mason!”

“What?” He snaps, turning around and seeing that they are not, in fact in front of Craig’s house, but Hugo’s.

“Distracted?” Hugo asks, standing in the doorway in his lame dad jeans and wrestling t-shirt.

“Extremely. In fact you are distracting me from the thing I was so intensely focused on, can I get back to it now?” Mason doesn’t mean to, but he ends up turning and looking at Robert’s house again.

“These things take time, you know.”

“Thanks, Hugo, I definitely hadn’t thought of that before.”

“He’s a little touchy about this whole thing.” Craig explains, and he claps Mason on the shoulder, “I know what you’re thinking, and I encourage it. Go, talk to him, you won’t regret it, bro.” He nods. He pulls Mason in for a quick hug, before turning him by his shoulders and pushing him forward toward the sidewalk.

Mason turns around to protest but the door closes and he groans in annoyance before he turns back and heads to the sidewalk, he points himself in the direction of Robert’s house and he walks with a purpose. Alcohol be damned, hell he’s sure that Robert has plenty already, and Mason is gonna do this with his charm alone.

He heads up the front walk and he knocks a few times, and he stands there, he waits. And he waits. And he waits a little longer. Nothing. No answer. His shoulders slump a little and he groans again, turning and heading back to the sidewalk so he can head home.

He has to breathe with serious focus to keep from getting too worked up, he doesn’t wanna be that weirdo who cries as he walks home. Once he gets inside his front door, though, all bets are off.

He grabs a pint of ice cream from the fridge, he sits on the couch and he turns on the History channel, where they’re playing a rerun of something that Mason doesn’t have the energy to try and remember the name of.

Looks like it’s a good day to stay inside and sulk.


	2. Chapter 2

Mason wakes up sometime in the afternoon with chocolate stains on his mouth and shirt, and a spoon stuck to his fingers. He blinks himself back to life and he groans loudly because he doesn’t wanna wake up yet, but his bladder has other plans. He gets off the couch slowly, his knees creaking and his back popping more times than he can distinguish, and he heads to the kitchen first. A round of hot water and dish soap is all it takes to get the spoon unstuck and he leaves it in the sink as he heads to the bathroom to take care of business.

He cleans his face while he’s at it, and does his best to get the chocolate out of his shirt, but he already knows it will never be the same. Such a shame too, it was a good shirt, loyal, it always had his back covered when he needed it. Oh well. It’ll be a perfectly acceptable lounging-around-the-house shirt now. He tosses it in the hamper and he turns his head side to side to eye the stubble on his chin and he scratches it with a hum.

Maybe he should grow it out for a change. Although the natural tone of his facial didn’t blend well with his hair, and he just shrugs, and goes through with shaving it. It’d be easier if he’d just cave and let his hair grow out it’s natural color again, but the light purple he’d dyed it with Amanda a while back had grown on him.

Mason yawns as he makes himself presentable and he brushes his hair, pulls it back into a bun and just groans at it when it looks as messy as usual. At least it’s out of his face. It doesn’t stop him from taking it down and putting it back up three times before he decides it’s as… unmessy as it’s gonna get.

It’s still kind of a mess.

He’d never been able to master the bun. Amanda was always so much better at it. Maybe he could invite her home to teach him- No. No. Amanda’s busy with school. Art school. On a scholarship. Mason shouldn’t interrupt that. Although it wouldn’t hurt to text her and see how she’s doing.

He heads back to the living room and sits on the couch again, he texts his daughter for a while, and she seems to be having fun. She sends him pictures of her with her friends and Mason smiles widely, happy for her. He tells her as much.

 

And he is! He’s extremely happy for her, and he extends to her an open invitation, she’s welcome home whenever she pleases for whatever reason. She promises to take him up on it soon, and Mason is satisfied. He has to stop texting her when she needs to go to class, though.

The timing seems to work out, because his computer dings at him a mere moments later. Mason grabs his laptop off the coffee table and he opens up Dadbook, where the message seems to have come from, and he hums as he reads over what Joseph has to say.

He needs help prepping for another bake sale, huh? Mason can do that.

He heads to the bedroom and he digs around for a clean shirt, sniff checking a few, and does a triple check on whether or not he is suitable for public consumption. When he feels he is, he nods to himself, he straightens his shirt and he heads to his neighbor’s house, sparing a long, wistful look at Robert’s house on the way.

He knocks, the door swings open to reveal Joseph, sporting his signature Cool Youth Minister Duds™, And a smile that never failed to make Mason both giddy and also somewhat uncomfortable. There’s something off-putting about that smile, but there’s also something about Joseph that makes Mason feel at ease, calm. Like he doesn’t care that Joseph is carrying a giant knife, and eyeing him like a piece of meat. 

Mason shakes his head a bit when the smile shifts to concern and Mason waves a hand, “I’m fine, fine. Just distracted.” By that smile and the weird tingly feeling in his gut. 

“Well of course you are, can’t you smell the mints?” Joseph teases and welcomes Mason inside, “I get distracted by them too. They’re amazing,” Joseph goes off into a spiel about the cream cheese mints he’s cooked up and Mason partakes in one when it’s handed to him. He sits on a stool by the island and the conversation flows easily from there. 

Mason helps bake a batch of peanut butter cookies, with fake peanut butter because someone might be allergic, and he helps whip up some brownies and even a batch of cupcakes. Mason is thoroughly a mess, with icing in his hair and flour on his jeans. He absently licks some peanut butter off his wrist once Joseph assured him that they’re finished. 

Joseph offers him a drink under the condition that Mason promise to help in the morning with the actual sale, and of course Mason agrees. To both the drink and the sale.

They sit in the kitchen and they talk for a while, Mason gets distracted at one point trying to see if he can’t scope Roberts house through a window from where he sits and he misses the eyes that crawl down his body as he leans. 

Joseph clears his throat a bit when Mason is practically climbing on the island because he’s pretty sure he can see some movement through the window- Mason falls back into his seat with a huff when he’s called out. 

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah, yeah, just…”

“Distracted?” Joseph reaches over and touches his shoulder, gets Mason’s attention again.

“Yeah,” he admits, still watching the window, though he’s given up his quest of creeping on Robert’s house. 

“How are things going with you two?” Joseph asks, turning the coffee mug in his hands a bit to keep them busy. Mason finally relents, turning to face Joseph again.

“Not great. I think he’s avoiding me. Again.”

“Well, It is Robert. And beside, distance does make the heart grow fonder. Perhaps he’s… building up… fondness.” Mason quirks an eyebrow at Joseph, who admits that the words probably weren’t that reassuring. 

“I just wish I knew what was going on in his head sometimes, y’know?”

“You and I both, Mason. But you know Robert’s a harder nut to crack than that. Have you tried reaching out? Through messages, rather than in person? I find he’s more responsive that way.”

“Yes. No. Kind of? I shoot him the occasional Dadbook message, but he hardly ever responds and always hours later if I’m lucky, days if I’m not. I’m losing hope and I’m getting all antsy and crap waiting on him to get around to it, like I know he needs time to get his shit sorted but can’t he at least he me with a, ‘I’m still interested but still busy’? Or at least, like, drop a hint? Like am I expected to wait or can I see other people? What if I find someone else before he gets his shit sorted, what then, Joseph? What if he finds someone else? What if I just go off and find some hot sailor to screw around with and by the time Robert is like ‘okay I’m ready let’s do this’ I’m too busy getting the dicking I rightfully deserve to start a whole new relationship?”

Mason stops, looks at Joseph who looks both concerned and extremely interested in hearing more. 

“It’s been so long since I’ve had sex I’m getting a little frustrated, sorry.” Mason mumbles, leaning on the counter some more and finishing off his coffee, “And to top it off I’m getting caffeine in my system and we all know how crafty a bitch that is. Sometimes she helps sometimes she doesn’t, she’s a cruel mistress with no one’s interest at heart but her own.”

Joseph offers an easy laugh, and raises his coffee mug, “Hear, hear.” He sighs, sips his drink and sets it back down. Joseph puts a hand on Mason’s shoulder again, and he squeezes it reassuringly, “It’s going to be alright Mason. I’m sure that Robert would understand if you sought the company of someone else while he’s taking care of himself.” Mason doesn’t miss the way Joseph leans forward a bit, he feels his heart flutter again and Mason absently folds his hands in front of his chest.

“Uh, yeah… But, uh, I don’t know for sure. I’d rather not take the chance, you know?”

“Well, since you’re not exclusive… I don’t imagine he really has much of a say.” Joseph offers up and Mason bites his lip, he feels his control wavering when Joseph squeezes his shoulder, and Mason is surprised when Joseph pulls away and heads to the far counter to put the cookies and such away.

Mason hadn’t realized how loud his heart was in his ear until he’s at the island alone, watching Joseph’s back. “I, uh, I gotta go, okay? I have to go and, uh, eat. Dinner. With Craig and Hugo, I made plans with them.” Totally a lie, but Mason’s heart is doing funny things and he needs a break, hardcore. He isn’t emotionally equipped to handle this at this very moment.

Joseph nods and he gives Mason a pat on the shoulder and gives him a couple of cookies to take with him. Mason thanks him and he leaves, he heads back home and he sits on the couch as he eats the cookies.

He ends up going to McDonalds for dinner, just so he’s out of the house, and there’s no chance Joseph can catch him in the lie about his dinner plans.


	3. Chapter 3

Mason wakes up early the next morning, it proves to be a daunting task, as he spends an easy twenty minutes just reaching for the ceiling, searching for the will to move. He does, finally, get out of bed, and he takes a shower to try and wake up but all it does is make it worse. He dries, shaves, he pokes at the scars on his chest for a few minutes because one of them looks funny, and it turns out it’s just a few loose facial hairs stuck to his skin with the shaving cream he’d used on his face. He cleans it off and he pokes and prods at the rest of his body for a solid fifteen minutes before deciding it isn’t any weirder than usual, and gets dressed in something appropriate for a church event.

He checks his phone as he’s making breakfast when he realizes he doesn’t remember when his next hormone injection is. He’s surprised to find it’s not for another two weeks, because it doesn’t feel like it’s been that long, he makes notes on every app he can think of so he doesn’t forget and he cleans up before gathering his keys, phone, and wallet.

Mason heads to the church around nine and Joseph is already there, setting up the table with Mary’s help, and by help he obviously means her standing there, watching, and holding a plate of cookies. Mason hurries over once his car is parked and he grabs the other end of the table, Joseph thanks him and once it’s set up they’re able to load it with sweets. 

An older lady shows up soon after, apologizing about being late, says something that Mason doesn’t listen to. Mason sits on the chair Joseph sets up for him and watches quietly as the youth minister walks around and helps whoever shows up. Mary sits loudly in the chair next to Mason and gives him a simple, two fingered salute. Mason and Mary have reached somewhat of a truce.

Well, less of a truce and more of a mutual understanding that neither of their lives are going exactly as planned so they meet up and have drinks every Friday but it’s less of a meet up and more like they go and sit next to each other and don’t speak they just give a courteous nod of acknowledgement and then enjoy their beverages. Sometimes Mary hits on guys, sometimes Mason gets so drunk Mary has to help him walk home. But they hardly talk, unless Robert’s there, and he’s been increasingly absent from their late night mutual drinking times. 

Mason’s sure that’s a good thing, since Robert’s been trying to clean up his shit a little bit, for the sake of his kid, but it doesn’t make Mason feel any less ignored. Robert could totally still come to the bar with them and just drink soda or something and it would be fine.

“What kind of cookies are these?” Mason looks up when he realizes he’s being spoken to, he looks to Mary, who seems like she’d already been talking to the person, but she must not know about the cookies.

“Uh, peanut butter. But, fake peanut butter. So that we don’t have to worry about people with allergies.” Mason smiles, standing up and taking his place as person who knows things, while Mary leaves to go deal with something else, Mason doesn’t really pay attention, he just focuses on the woman asking him questions.

Eventually Joseph returns, and he knows way more about the product they’re trying to hock than Mason does, so he takes over most of the talking. Mason just has to admit he didn’t pay that much attention to the stuff when they made it, so he pays extra attention to Joseph now, so he knows what to tell people when the blonde wanders off to go help someone else with something.

Mason is explaining to a little kid the difference between real peanut butter and fake peanut butter when he sees Craig and Hugo walk up, with no kids in sight. Once the curious kid wanders away Mason’s able to give his attention to his fellow dads.

“Aw, what, you didn’t bring your kids? They totally could’ve talked you into buying, like, so many brownies. And mints. Have you tried these things, they’re better than sex.” Mason doesn’t miss the heavy sigh he gets from Joseph at that, “Okay, well, maybe they’re not that good, but they are pretty dang tasty, you should get sooooome.” He waves his hands over the tray and he doesn’t miss how Hugo laughs at him, “Did I mention that they’re cream cheese mints, see, Hugo, cheese? I can put it on, like, a piece of wood, or something, make it a cheese-board, I hear you’re really into that kind of thing.”

They laugh at him, and after a little convincing they buy a handful, and Mason watches them share the candies as they check out the rest of the tables. Brian comes through with Daisy later and gets her a couple of cookies, later on Mat comes by and buys some brownies from a neighboring table, and he stops by to talk to Mason and Joseph.

The amount of baked goods on the table slowly dwindles until it’s all gone, somehow Joseph’s table never has leftovers. Mason and Joseph keep up idle conversation as they pack up, and Joseph ropes Mason into helping others clean up. Mary heads home before Mason and Joseph are even done helping, and Joseph just laughs it off. They get everyone packed up and headed on their way and Mason groans as he stretches his back. He checks the time on his phone and it’s almost one in the afternoon.

“It’s not too late to go get some lunch,” Joseph says and Mason nods, shrugs, agrees with the condition that Joseph pay, and it earns him a laugh, but Joseph agrees, and he invites Mason into his car for a quick ride to the diner down the road.

Mason orders a bacon cheeseburger and Joseph goes for something much more modest, a breakfast plate of eggs sausage and hashbrowns. Conversation flows easily, Mason complains about his knees, and Joseph laughs at his plight, but he encourages Mason’s griping, insisting that letting it out will help him feel better.

Mason takes the invitation and runs with it, he complains about his knees, his back, the fact that he hasn’t spoken to Robert in days.

He falls quiet after that one, and he pushes his fries around on his plate. “I need a drink.” He mumbles, glaring at his plate.

“I can help with that,” Joseph offers and he reaches across the table, touching Mason’s arm.

He feels heat rise to his cheeks, but he swallows the lump in his throat and nods a bit, “How’s that?” He asks, his throat is dry all of the sudden. Has it always been this warm in here? Joseph smiles and he squeezes Mason’s hand, returns his attention to his food.

“Well, I do happen to have a well stocked yacht, you know that, you’ve been there.”

“Right, yeah, you did show me that. I didn’t actually get on it, though, so I was not aware of the fact it is well stocked. Well stocked with what, though?”

“Wine,” Joseph answers easily, “reds, whites, cheap, expensive. Whatever suits your tastes, I’m sure there’s something on that boat that would work.” Joseph’s smile is so easy, so effortless. Mason nods after a few moments.

“That sounds good. When can we do that? I think it’d be real fun to hang out on a yacht and drink wine and feel fancy. Maybe I’ll wear something nice, to just add to the effect, put on a facade of affluence for a few hours.” Joseph laughs lightly and Mason smiles at him, and they work out their schedules together on a napkin and eventually come to one conclusion. Tonight is basically the only time they’re both free at the same time, Joseph will just need to let Mary know, so she can keep an eye on the kids, but she usually does anyways so that’s easy.

They head to the docks, Joseph helps Mason onto his yacht and they set out onto the water while Mason ‘ooh’s and ‘aah’s over the rooster tails that the boat kicks up behind it as they go. Eventually it slows to a stop, and Joseph joins Mason, leaning on the railing.

“This,” Joseph says, gesturing out to the open water, facing away from land, “this is the good stuff. Far from all the things we’re supposed to worry about.”

Mason laughs lightly, and Joseph smiles at him. They talk for a few more minutes before they finally head down inside and find a bottle of wine to suit their tastes. They sit up top, in the sun and Mason sighs as he sips his wine.

They make idle chit chat, Mason professes his fear of whales and Joseph teases him about it every chance he gets. They talk and they joke and Mason goes through a bottle and a half of wine all on his own, the other half of a bottle goes to Joseph.

Mason doesn’t handle his alcohol well, he’s always known that about himself, which is why he usually doesn’t drink, but he kind of wants to ditch his inhibitions for a while, especially since Joseph is being really friendly, like overtly friendly, and if Mason makes a move and gets rejected he’d prefer not to remember it in the morning.

It just takes a healthy dose of liquid courage for him to lean on Joseph’s shoulder and mumble about all the dirty things he wants to do with him. Joseph seems nervous, uncomfortable at first, but Mason’s running on the power of fermented grapes and he practically throws himself at the man.

He must do something right, because he wakes up in the morning, sore in all the right places and in bed with the blonde.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heeeyyyyyyyy heres where the dark starts to kick offfffaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are much appreciated, I need them to know people are interested.


End file.
